BLM Bishop Field Office Seeks Input on Proposed Campground Renovation

BLM Bishop Field Office Seeks Input on Proposed Campground Renovation

The Bureau of Land Management’s Bishop Field Office is seeking public input on the agency’s proposal to renovate several BLM campgrounds in the eastern Sierras.

“BLM is preparing an environmental assessment for the proposed project. The campgrounds planned for renovation include Tuttle Creek Campground near Lone Pine, Goodale Creek Campground near Aberdeen, Horton Creek Campground near Bishop and Crowley Lake Campground near the Hilton Creek community. Additionally, Pleasant Valley Pit, a campground used primarily by rock climbers during winter, would have a toilet installed at the campground to meet the high demand at the site,” said Bernadette Lovato, BLM Bishop Field Office manager.

Lovato noted that the campgrounds were built in the late 1960s and the facilities need to be improved. The proposal includes rebuilding the campgrounds in their current footprints to reduce new environmental impacts. The campgrounds would continue to provide basic camping services with new upgraded facilities to meet Americans with Disabilities Act requirements including new state-of-the-art toilets, reconditioned campsite pads, potable water and picnic tables. Some campsites would be relocated to reduce environmental impacts to riparian areas.

The project is expected to begin this summer and end by 2012. When possible, work would be conducted during the off-season to reduce the inconvenience to campers.

Individuals or groups interested in providing comments can contact Jeff Yanez, BLM’s civil engineering technician and project manager at (760) 872-5026 or jyanez@blm.gov. Comments can be mailed to Yanez at BLM, 351 Pacu Lane, Bishop, Calif. 93514. Public comments will be accepted for the environmental analysis component of this project until Feb. 28.